Week 4: God is Powerful

This week's lesson combines the story of the 10 plagues with the Israelites crossing of the Red Sea. This means that this weekend you have a neat opportunity to talk about either or both because both of these events show that God is Powerful.

The Plagues

Here they are and some fun ways to make the story come alive for the kids.

• Rivers, streams, creeks, even water in the buckets turns to blood killing all the fish and the water will stink.

Hold out a stick/rod/staff over the pretend river. "Watch" it turn to blood. Ask the kids what color would it be. Ask them what color should it be. Have the kids hold their noses b/c the smell is so awful.

• Frogs everywhere

Now have the kids jump around like frogs. Talk about where they Egyptians might have found frogs - on their tables, in their seats, in their dishes, in their ovens, etc.

• Gnats everywhere

Now strike your stick/rod/staff on the ground. Explain that when Aaron (Moses' helper) did this the dust became gnats. Help the kids understand what a gnat is and how they fly in your face, they get up by your eyes, they just pester your skin and how you have to swat them. Have the kids swat them everywhere.

• Flies everywhere

Continue with swatting the gnats but explain now there was flies everywhere. Buzzing here and there. Have the kids buzz. But explain that God did not send flies where the Israelites where; He kept them safe. Make a "safe" zone in your classroom and have the kids fly there, buzzing as they go and then stop buzzing and moving once in the safe zone.

• Animals die

Have the kids act like different animals. Pick some to be cows. Some donkeys. Some camels. Have the kids move and sound like them. Then explain that God caused all the animals to die. Have the kids fall down on the ground dead. But remember that God protected the Israelites' animals and have the kids move to the safe zone where they begin acting like animals again.

• Boils/sores on their skins

Now have the kids hold their arm or their leg like it is hurting, like it is burning. Explain that God sent boils and sores on all of the men and any animals left.

• Hail

Ask the kids if they know what hail is. Describe what it is to them: hard ice that falls from the ground. God send hail all over the land. God warned everyone that they should find shelter and bring all their animals because the hail would be so bad that anyone or any animal left outside when be hurt and die. Have the kids run around the try to "hide" and find shelter before the storm comes.

• Locusts everywhere who eat everything

Once again explain what locusts are to kids. Animals that fly and make noise and they fly in great groups - sometimes there are so many they look like one big giant black cloud. They like to eat up crops. So the locusts came and ate up all the crops - corn, wheat, fruit and all the trees. Have the kids pretend to duck as you make the noise of the locusts- humming softly at first and then louder as they come closer.

• Darkness all over

Then God made it dark outside for three whole days. None of the Egyptians could leave their house because they couldn't see any thing. It was so dark. But the Israelites had light where they lived. Divide the kids in 1/2 and send on group to one side of the room and the other to the other side. Have one group get down and huddled together. They are scared and can't leave b/c they can't see it's so dark outside. Have the other group be the Israelites and have them run around b/c they can see.

• Death of the first-born child of all Egyptian families

Have the kids sit down and explain that the last plague is a very sad plague. The Pharaoh wouldn't let the Israelites go and be free. He wouldn't obey God so God said that the first child of every family, of every animal would die.

End this discussion of the plagues by discussing how powerful God is that He control everything - animals, the water, the sun, even life. And God was powerful enough to protect the Israelites.

Word of Caution - when telling the last plague, remember the focus is that God is powerful and can do anything. At this age do not stay too long on this last plague b/c we do not want children going home scared or thinking if they disobey God he will strike them dead. The focus should be on the fact that God controls everything - even life and that He was able to protect the Israelites and even Moses and Aaron while they talked to the Pharaoh.

I would recommend this for the 4 and older crowd.

Crossing the Red Sea

Divide the kids into 2 groups. One is the Israelites and one is the Egyptians. Have the Israelites march around the room. They are heading to the freedom. They should be shouting and be happy and dancing. And then they should see the Red Sea. They can't cross and now they cry out and say, "OH NO!" They start to cry. Then they look back and the Egyptians are marching toward them. Have the 2nd group march slowly toward them. Then have Moses (the teacher) stretch out the stick/rod/staff and ask God for help. The Red Sea will part and all the Israelites should cross. And then once they have all crossed have them sit down on the floor and watch what happens to the Egyptians. Have the Egyptians begin to cross and have the kids act out what would happen if the waters fell on them. They would drown. They would fall to the bottom. They would float away.

Talk with the kids about how God is powerful and can do anything. Talk about how He is different from super-heroes. He is real and superheroes have special powers but they are limited. God is not limited. He can do anything!

Fidget Buster & Prayer Helps

Here are two good Fidget Busters to do with our kids that tie into the rainy weather we have had this week and to our theme of building.

Fidget Buster 6: Caught in the Rain

Taken from Fidget Busters 101: Quick Attention-Getters for Children's Ministry by Jolene L. Rochlkepartain.

Tell children that they're plants and must stand with their feet firmly on the floor. Without moving their feet, they must react to different kinds of weather like a plant. Then announce these different kinds of weather. Do the actions with them.

• Rain
• Sun
• Breeze
• Snow
• Wind
• Hail

Say: Let's uproot ourselves and plant our selves back into our seats (on the circle) to learn more about our lesson.

Fidget Buster 21: Fix the Room
Taken from Fidget Busters 101: Quick Attention-Getters for Children's Ministry by Jolene L. Rochlkepartain.

Say: Did you know Jesus learned to be a carpenter from his dad, Joseph? Let's pretend we're carpenters and fix up the room. Have children run to an area you call out and fix it in the way you say. Do the motions with them. For example:

• Hammer the floor
• Saw the door
• Measure the window
• Drill the wall

Then say: You're all such good carpenters! You'd make Jesus proud. Now let's make noises like drills and drill our way back to our lesson so we can learn more about him.

Prayer Help: See & Touch Prayer
Taken from Hooray! Let's Pray! by Group

Truth: Everything we see reminds us to give thanks.

Cut scraps of different colored paper into pieces no smaller than 2 inches square. Collect scraps of material of different textures. Place the paper and the material scraps in a bag. Let each child pick an item from the bag and say a prayer of thanks to God for something that is the same color, or something that feels like what he or she is holding. For instance, he or she might thank God for the blue sky, a fuzzy bunny, a shiny red apple, or a soft doll.

Week 3: Moses & the Burning Bush

This week we are learning about God calling Moses. Moses sees a bush that is on fire but is not burning. Could you imagine this? I think of all the forest fires out West. Could you imagine those fires burning fierce but nothing being burned up, nothing being destroyed? That's how amazing our God is: He can consume without destroying.

But even seeing this amazing thing Moses wasn't sure he wanted to do what God was asking. And he had real reasons to not want to. He had lived with the Pharaoh; he was royalty himself raised by the Pharaoh's daughter. He knew the laws of the land; he knew the power of the Pharaoh. He also knew that he had killed an Egyptian and aligned himself with the Israelites in doing so. He was a wanted man and God wanted him to march into the court of Pharaoh and demand that Pharaoh release the people of Israel, the people which the Pharaoh used to increase his riches and his domain. It sounded like a crazy plan to Moses; it was a crazy plan.

Christ calls us to obey Him in the face of many obstacles and many times what He asks is crazy. He tells us to love our enemies; to go the extra mile with no expectation of anything in return. His way is not our way. Our kids experience this on a daily basis. They have to make choices about whether to obey mom or dad, whether to share their toys, whether to be kind to their sibling, whether to lie when in trouble. It isn't always easy and doesn't always make sense to do the right thing. Moses, standing at the burning bush arguing with God, is a reminder that God not only loves us and has a plan for us (why else would he allow Moses to argue back) but He wants us to succeed and is willing to help us. He gave Moses help and He will help us and our kids to obey Him.

This lesson ties in directly with our memory verse: I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me. Philippians 4:13. Spend some time with your kids reciting the verse and talking about real life situations they face and how Jesus can help them obey.

In Your Class

Play a game of "Mother May I?" Each child gets a turn to ask you (or another child) if they can do an specific activity such as run, jump, close their eyes, clap, stomp, turn around, sit, etc. the only rule is they have to ask by saying, "Mother may I?" Then you or the child leading can tell them "yes" or "no". They must obey whatever the leader says.

After playing the game talk with the children about how God has given us rules to live by. Have the kids see if they can name some of those rules: be kind, don't shove, share, listen, etc. God gave us those rules so that we could have a good place to live and He knows if we obey Him it will be a better place to live. And just like in our game we all had to ask the leader if we could do something and we had to obey if the leader said "yes" or if the leader said "no", we have to obey God too.

OR

Teach the children the song Head and Shoulders, Knees & Toes. To teach them though do not tell them what you are going to do. Explain that they are have to do whatever you tell them to do and when they are done they will have learned something new. Start by having the kids say "knees and toes". Then have them say "knees and toes" while touching their knees and toes. Then have them say "head and shoulders". Again have them repeat it touching their head and shoulders. Then have them do all four, "head and shoulders, knees and toes". Then have them fall down. Then have them get back up. And fall down again. Now explain that by obeying everything you told them to do they are now ready to sing the song.

Head and shoulders, knees and toes. Knees and toes.

Head and shoulders, knees and toes. Knees and toes.

We all fall down!

Sky Bridge: Making the New Theme Work

Here are a couple pointers/changes we are going to make to help the kids understand the video better and make sure we are helping the kids understand the Bible story.

After the Intro and welcoming the kids (before starting the Skit and Bible Lesson part of the video) review with the kids following:
What is it that Newton and his friends are building? A sky bridge.
Why do they need to build the sky bridge? The people in the buildings need a way to get

from one building to the next building.
How will the build the bridge? They will build one part at a time. Each week they will need

our help to finish each part of the bridge till it is all done.
Who is the Builder that keeps calling and helping Newton and his friends? God.

We will watch the Skit part of the video first rather than the Bible Story first. The Skit part is where the puppets and characters are building the Sky Bridge.

After viewing the Skit part of the video and singing the 2nd Worship Song the Worship Leader should discuss with the kids the following:
What is the problem that Newton and/or his friends had?
Who helped them with their problem? The Builder.
Who is the Builder? God
Then remind the kids how Moses had something great that God wanted him to do. God was

going to use Moses to help the Israelites go free. So God starting working on Moses just like

Newton and his friends are working on the bridge.
Ask the kids what they have learned so far about Moses – do a quick review and then ask

them if they are ready to see what God is doing today to help Moses become the person God

needs.

During your class time when you teach the Bible story to the class remind the kids that just like Newton and his friends are building the bridge one section at a time and it takes a long time but when it’s done it will helps lots of people that God is working on making them be who He wants them to be. And while it takes us a long time to grow up God is always there and He is going to us to help lots of other people too. Just like God worked with Moses and helped him become a man that God could use.

Week 2: God Hears the Israelites Cries

Pharaoh Says (Simon Says)

Play the child's game Simon Says but instead of saying "Simon says ...", say "Pharaoh says ..." Explain to the kids that the Pharaoh was the King of Egypt. And he had made the Israelites slaves. A slave had to do whatever the King and the King's people said to do. The King and the King's people could work them all day and really fast and could be mean. Invite the kids to play Pharaoh Says with you explaining that you will be the Pharaoh and they will be the slaves who must do whatever the Pharaoh says.

Musical Prayers (in your Lesson, page 27, also a Check-In Activity)

This is a game we are scheduled to play during Check-In but is also a neat activity to do in class after you have taught the story. You can review with the children through this game what they can do when they are sad.

When we are sad it is human nature to withdraw, feel sorry for ourselves, get mad, lash out at others, hoard our resources, etc. Encourage the kids that when they have a problem, God is there to help and they can cry (talk) out to Him just like the Israelites did.

Good Point Reminder: Remind the kids as you teach the lesson that God saved Moses when he was just a little baby. And now the Israelites are crying out to God to save them and God asks Moses to go and free the people. Remind the kids that if Moses had not been saved, he wouldn't have been able to help the Israelites get free. God knew that Moses would do this even when he was just a tiny baby. God knows us and knows what we can do for Him even when we are little and He promises to help us just like He helped Moses as a baby.

Ask the kids what they think will happen next week. How will God uses Moses to save the Israelites? Do they think Moses will be scared?

Week 1: Baby Moses

Our Main Point this weekend is God Has a Plan For Me. Take a few minutes this week to read Psalm 139 and Matthew 10:29-31. Thank God that He is involved in your life. He was present in your birth even before you knew of Him, He knew of you. And Christ has the very hairs on our head numbered. God desires a relationship with us and this is why He sent His Son, Jesus. This desire is why God set the Israelites free because He knew that through them redemption and restoration could come to all people. That means me and you! Moses life was used by God to bring us a Savior that would set us free. You and me we are part of that story. Isn't that amazing!

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After telling the kids the story of Baby Moses play this game with them:

Hide a special item in the room before class. Just like Moses' mother had something very special that you do too. Ask the kids what did Moses' mother have that was so special? (A baby named Moses). Encourage the kids to guess what you have that is so special. After you tell the kids what you have hidden explain that you will be taking turns pretending to be Moses' mother and the Pharaoh's daughter. Pick a child to be Pharaoh's daughter and go searching for the item. When they have found the item pick another child to be Pharaoh's daughter. Have them turn their back to the class and close their eyes. Then have the child pretend to be Moses' mother and hide the special item in the room. Once it is hidden, have the child who is Pharaoh's daughter search for the the item.

Remind kids each time the item is found that just like that item is special to you and Moses was special to his mother and to God, that they are special to God. God cares about them. He knows who they are and where they are and has promised that He will always be with them. He will take care of them and just like Moses' mother had to trust God when she put Moses in the basket in the water, they can trust God too.

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Bring a baby doll and a basket to class. Put the basket in the middle of the floor and have the children sit around the basket in a circle. Explain that the basket is in the middle of the water.

Pass the baby around and talk with the children about what babies do and what they can't do. Ask the children what they baby might do in the basket. Ask them if they think the baby might be scared. Talk with the children about how Moses' mother was probably scared to put him in the basket and put him in the water.

Then place the baby in the basket and talk to the children about how Moses' mother trusted God. God took care of baby Moses and sent the Pharaoh's daughter to find him. He was able to grow up and learn and become healthy and strong. Because Moses' mother trusted God her son was saved and Moses grew up to one day save all of the Israelites from the mean Pharaoh.

Talk to the children about how God knew that Moses was the right person to do the job and help the Israelites escape. God took care of Moses and helped him do good things for God.

Remind the children that God knows them and has good things that He wants them to do for Him too. He will take care of them and help them do good things for God too.

Week 7: David Thanking God

This week's lesson is about David who thanked God for all He had given him. In our culture it is easy to thank God for things: toys, clothes, houses, food. While everything we have comes from God we also have to remember that there are many reasons to thank God other than what we have or own. If not, how else do we describe the joy and gratitude that many in poorer countries are able to still praise God. To help the kids expand their idea of what they can thank God for try one of these activities:

Body Parts

Grab a pack of sticky notes or a roll of tape. You can either place the tape or sticky notes on the following body parts or you can ask the kids to take turns putting the tape or sticky notes on these parts:

head
eyes
ears
hands
mouth
nose
feet
legs
knees
hands
fingers
arms

Then as you take a piece of tape or sticky note off (you can involve the kids here by asking them one at a time to choose one piece to tear off) and have the kids list things that they are able to do or experience because they have the body God gave them.

They can:

think/read/ see/watch TV/run/jump/eat/hear/sing/listen to music/talk to their friends/listen to their mom sing them to sleep/let their dad read them a book/they can crawl/they can pick up things/ throw the ball - lots of things!!!

Inside/Outside

Place Velcro tape halfway down the room (we have Velcro tape available in the main room. See Jessica if you want to use it.). Explain to the kids that one side represents the Inside and what side represents the Outside. Explain that the kids are going to have to listen closely and jump or run back and forth to whatever side you call out.

Have the kids "practice" by calling out Inside. All the kids should run to that side. Then call Outside and they should run to the other side. Do this 2-3 times.

Then explain that now they have to name something they are thankful for that is either Inside or Outside.

Call out Inside or Outside and let the kids run to the correct side. Then have them holler out something that is either Inside (toys, couch, bed, stove, toys, TV, clothes) or Outside (sun, rain, grass, moon, stars, snow, hills, etc.).